Here seems to be the gist of the thread.
1. She is old for the grade. Not just months, like at the old end of the normal Senior spectrum, but an entire year older. So, a bit more than a year older than average or closer to 2 (1-3/4?) years older than the young end of the spectrum. This seems to be fact.
2. Although unheard of decades ago, this is not really uncommon now. Many posters have weighed in with their ages, and I am consistent with many from long ago. I was not yet 17-1/2 at graduation. Back then, parents did what they were told. If your birthday is here, you are in this grade. This has changed. Saying this different ways, most of the Board seems in agreement.
3. There doesn't seem to be any rules broken. There probably are, actually. Were the times in question run on a track with a curb or with bricks on the curves? Has she ever passed a drug test? I don't know how much T&FN as a record-keeper cares about this, but nothing counts for USATF or WA purposes without both of these. But back to the point: As far as age, no law or rule seems to be offended.
And that #3 is what interests me. Everyone older than some age seems to know that there has been a tradition of starting 1st Grade at some standard age. There still was a spectrum of ages - a 364-day spead, I suppose. Many or most turned 18 after graduation, some around this time of year, a few earlier. However:
Redshirting Kindergarten has become popular, so we now see Seniors at our heroine's age. One of the Boy's sub-4s a few years ago was significantly older than 19.
There also has always been a tradition of starting college in late summer or early fall the year of graduatiion. No law or rule required this, but decades ago, most students were probably 18 already on the first day of school, but the youngest 1/3 or maybe more turned 18 during college. In RWTB there is an 18th birthday mini-party mentioned. So what happens now?
The subject of this thread will be starting at close to 19-1/2 and doing a first track season at 20, at least for the Championship Meet. That means 23 for Senior Track, likely 24 given how common injuries are in the NCAA (do about half redshirt a season at some point?)
We know what happens when a runner from BYU is in this situation. Flamed on the Board. Vitriolic posts flew from keyboards in the wake of Mantz's last XC title. Outrage and furor filled the air. There ought to be law!
With older kidnergartners than decades ago, we will be seeing older college Seniors. Even older-yet if they redshirt. Older even still for those that don't follow the tradition of starting college soon after high school. It seems as though Mantz was the youngest on the podium this last time, so it's already happening.
Will the angry mob be just as offended when this young lady picks up NCAA titles as old as (possibly older than) Mantz was at the time of his last? Will all of you think it's just fine and point out that no NCAA rule is being broken? That's not the reaction most of you gave to Mantz.